Randy Spetman, athletic director, Florida State University

Randy Spetman

Athletic director,
Florida State
University

ALL PHOTOS BY RYALS LEE JR. / FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

It’s not uncommon for staffers to shout
out “Colonel!” as they pass Randy Spetman
in the halls of the Moore Athletic
Center on Florida State’s campus. It’s
more than a nickname for Spetman, the
Seminoles’ athletic director since 2008.
It was his rank in the U.S. Air Force.

Spetman, a standout defensive end
at the Air Force Academy in the 1970s,
didn’t take the usual trek to athletic administration.
He spent 28 years in the
military before moving into administration
at Air Force and Utah State and
eventually taking over at FSU.

He logged more than 3,000 hours of
flight time and was chief of bomber planning
in operations Desert Shield and Desert
Storm. Many of the mementos around
his office reflect his background in the
service, as well as his father’s.